Myung So, who had been secretly watching Oknodie from a distance whenever he had time, with the principal’s permission.
He felt a pitiful emotion towards Sing, who had become a child molester despite the infamy.
‘The donor risks misdeeds to pursue good, and even if there is no mercy in their hands, they will surely gain extra points in the Academy’s life evaluation score.’
In fact, the students’ concerns were unfounded.
It’s common sense to subdue ghosts because they are dangerous.
However, the Academy rarely intervenes in most situations caused by students unless they have a direct or indirect impact on life.
Of course, if a cherished disciple is in danger, they can advise to give hints or seek help.
But due to the principal’s policy, it was rare for them to offer direct assistance.
When the brats flap their wings, if you catch and help them, they only slow their own flight. Until they become second years, let them do as they please except for crimes.
Could it be that the Dragon Principal’s parental method of raising hatchlings, keeping them locked up until they turn 500, was not just a mere rumor passed on to the human world?
Myung So sincerely began to doubt the Dragon Principal’s educational philosophy regarding dragon upbringing!
Thanks to this, Myung So had only observed the numerous incidents surrounding Oknodie without direct involvement.
‘The future of the Academy is truly dark.’
This was the thought that frequently crossed his mind while watching Oknodie.
His talent was anything but ordinary.
Many excel in a single field.
Oknodie had the kind of talent that spanned too many fields.
While he couldn’t surpass being number one, he exhibited an overwhelming second place that others couldn’t catch in archery, swordsmanship, and nature magic.
In stealth techniques, memorization, insight, night activities, and dark magic, he showed qualities of being a clear number one.
‘Initially, I thought he was just a born thief according to Professor Bronze’s insight, or a natural Dark Sorcerer according to Professor Sadako’s, or an expert in nature magic according to Professor Weird’s foresight.’
Every teaching professor wanted to take him on as a disciple.
I just thought it was that level.
“Sihyeon. Oknodie is not such a simple talent. That child has the qualities of a warrior. A ‘thief’ class, at that.”
“That kind of talent isn’t singular.”
“I’m asserting that it covers all of those talents under the thief class.”
Professor Destroyer succeeded in consolidating the potential of all those talents into one.
“His excellence in insight and dexterity suits the role of a thief who appraises various treasures, and his keen vision at night, along with proficiency in nature and dark magic, indicates skill in magical traps.”
“But that kid keeps saying he wants to be a magic swordsman as if it’s a habit.”
“A thief who can fight is of immense value. Since they don’t rely on the help of other comrades, arranging displays becomes easier, and by creating their weaknesses, their value skyrockets in various combat environments.”
Be it cramped caves or complex mine paths, cliffs where a wrong step could lead to death, volcanoes, or underwater caves teeming with visitors, the threats posed by monsters hiding in rugged terrains or their treasures, and the evil organizations hiding loot with monsters as guardians make it even more so.
With the few people capable of taking risks, if there’s a pathetic thief who has to endure finding weaknesses while protecting others each time they fight versus a versatile thief who can locate paths, acquire treasures, and deactivate magic alone all while fighting, then naturally, one would choose the latter.
And such thieves are exceedingly rare.
There’s a reason why he’s considered a potential hero.
‘However, even Professor Destroyer hasn’t seen the everyday life of that child. So far, the professor who has observed Oknodie the most, and for the longest, is me.’
He could assert that Oknodie’s fear was in his talent for gathering people.
Sing and Hestia.
Two competent individuals who ranked among the top in the upper class seemed to be unknowingly playing along with Oknodie’s intentions.
‘His devilish observational skills can read human thoughts at a terrifying speed, penetrating to the essence. The speed at which he unlocks and digs into the locks of people’s hearts is incomprehensible.’
They believed they understood the Foundation’s child fully, but Oknodie’s true specialty was known only to him.
And the danger of that specialty was beyond any risk posed by all other talents combined.
‘If the Foundation, as it has until now, uses talented students to exert indirect pressure on them, it won’t be long before all of Class 981 will follow Oknodie’s will.’
Even now, one-third of the upper class had formed direct friendships with Oknodie.
Those individuals were impressive too.
Group A leader Princess Arcadia and Duke Andersen.
The dark merchant Jezel and the formidable figures like Hestia, Jigoku, and Sing, nearly all of them included.
They became friendly after bickering with Group B leader Princess Masugaki, and the legendary warrior Ishtar was attempting to recruit them.
Even the fusion creation Kasia, who was at least in the role of a class leader in Group C, had established private exchanges, so she was entirely connected to the 981 class experts.
‘Of course, there are those who envy the girl’s talents, but at the very top of the command hierarchy that can exert influence are all connected to Oknodie.’
How could one not harbor fear in such circumstances?
‘Still, there are only two students who have been deeply affected.’
Hestia and Sing.
If it were just these two, then it would still be manageable.
As he sought to comfort himself in this thought while returning to his lectures, Myung So’s eyes caught a commotion among a group of students.
“Those tin cans don’t seem afraid of curses at all.”
“The one on the left is a holy knight named Jeidas, famed in the Western Three Kingdoms, he’s quite the exceptional skill for a lower class. But who’s the other one?”
“Are you slow on the gossip? That guy is a lackey personally chosen by the Dark Princess.”
“That scary kid who supposedly extracts human souls?”
“Exactly. From what I heard from those sharing a room with him, he never takes off his armor even while sleeping. That must mean he’s trying to overcome the curse alongside the armor.”
“Seems like he’s scratching his armor.”
“No, if you see the way he moves his hands, he looks like he’s starving for blood and violence.”
“Now that you put it that way… it does look like that!!”
“What’s that kid’s name?”
“I heard it’s Mob.”
“Dark Knight Mob. He’s got the same stubbornness as the holy knight Jeidas. I’ll have to remember that.”
“Then why is he hitting his helmet?”
“Maybe he’s suppressing the urge to hit someone’s skull?”
“Dark Knight Mob. Truly a terrifying fellow hiding his aggressiveness.”
“……”
Myung So’s steps toward the lecture hall grew a little heavier.
Most students, facing the Curse Fortnight, were too busy fleeing from curses, but a few threw themselves into the curse instead.
“Why are they acting like that?”
“No idea. They say they’re building resistance to curses.”
“Are they insane?”
“They probably think they’re class top students just because they are too.”
“But the class top is the Dark Princess. She’s the ultimate authority on dark magic in Class 981, so she can withstand curses but others might just die.”
Oknodie’s antics had caused quite a stir even among the lower class students.
It was already known that strange things had been happening around her for a while, and now some were starting to assert claims like this.
“About the curse event. Wasn’t it actually caused by Oknodie doing something?”
“That girl? She’s just 11 years old!”
“She’s not an ordinary kid. She extracts human souls to turn them into candy and snacks.”
“True…”
“Poor Jakku. He had his soul pulled out and might live the rest of his life as a vegetable.”
“Who ended up as a vegetable?”
“Whoa! A, a, a vegetable!! A vegetable is walking!!”
Jakku, leaning on a crutch and walking through the campus, clearly displayed a contemptuous expression as if he was looking at an insect.
“Yeah, I’m a walking vegetable. If you don’t get lost, I’ll use you as compost.”
“Ahhhh, so scary!”
“Run away. If he catches you, you’ll be buried in the ground!”
The lower class students fled while making foolish remarks.
Having experienced so many odd happenings at the Academy, it seemed their sanity had slightly wavered.
Now that he was out of the infirmary, it appeared everyone around him was idiotic.
“Tsk.”
Mob was being referred to as a Dark Knight while being compared to the holy knight Jeidas.
Rumors about his perfectly intact soul being extracted were circulating.
What a world we live in.
Is there not a single classmate with a bit of common sense?
Jakku, who managed to finish the tests without stirring up major trouble thanks to Oknodie, had his grades safe, but he needed someone to share the experiences he had while being on crutches.
Maybe he should find an old friend.
As he limped along with his crutch searching for Mob, he spotted a relatively sensible student in the lower class.
“Hey, Primer.”
“Jakku? You look fine!”
“That’s how it turned out. But I’ve been hearing silly comments about Mob being the Dark Knight and that my soul got pulled out. What the hell happened there?”
“You know that Mob guy has received Oknodie’s mentoring and gained strength, right?”
“I know.”
“After showing results with training equipment, he was even given armor and a helmet. Now he doesn’t take them off even for 24 hours. He probably doesn’t want to stop training until he gains power.”
“Hmm. Mob is not just talented; his competitive spirit is something else.”
He didn’t inflate it by calling him a rival.
Jakku truly regarded Mob as such a friend.
“And so, these days, there’s a lot of worry.”
“Worried?”
“Even if it’s not entirely true that he pulls souls, a lot of kids are running wild claiming to train against curses because of that girl Oknodie.”
“Don’t tell me they’re doing something stupid.”
“So, I was thinking… how about we go to the upper class area together, get some highly cursed materials, and sprinkle them near those idiots? Maybe show them some tough love so they’ll think twice.”
“You hold a grudge against Mob?”
“Dark Knight? Not particularly. If I have a grudge, it’s more toward the class top student.”
“Against Oknodie, that little monster? Why do you?”
Primer, who didn’t seem like he had such a sharp personality, had his eyes lighting up with an inexplicable deep hatred.
“You wouldn’t understand, but there’s a reason. She stole my place.”
Indeed.
Primer was one of the Foundation’s scholarship students with a hidden identity.
He had previously targeted Oknodie…
“Dude, did you get your grades snatched from you by the class top student? Then I have been robbed of the Swordmaster position, the King’s throne, and even the place of a beautiful woman’s husband?”
“…You won’t understand even if I explain.”
“Of course not. It sounds like the rambling of a lunatic.”
Jakku’s rational criticism only soured Primer’s expression further.
